dcorbett818-1

This film is a mess. It pretends to be a true story but admits that important parts of the plot are made up. Harry Van Buren did not exist. The dialogue is weak and in many cases illegible. The film tries to be deep but, struggles to stay afloat in shallow waters. There isn't a moment of joy in it, the main character is an insufferable, ego maniacal, drug addict who is entirely unlikable. It does effectively teach a crash course in hand wringing over acting but never coalesces into a linear story you'd care about because none of the characters are likable. They're all one note stereotypes. At 3 plus hours, it's an indulgence in pretentious mediocrity. The fact that it's winning awards and being praised is further proof that Hollywood has lost touch what great filmmaking really is.